Tasmania

Tasmanian transgender advocates have called on the state’s Premier to stop Upper House election ads that lump together transgender law reform and child abuse under the policy of “protecting your children”. Liberal candidate for the Upper House seat of Pembroke, Kristy Johnson, has published newspaper ads (pictured) that declare one of her three top priorities …

Landmark legislation that will benefit Tasmania’s transgender community has passed its final parliamentary hurdle and will become law. Tasmania’s Lower House passed the Marriage Amendments Bill on Wednesday with the support of Labor, the Greens, and Liberal speaker Sue Hickey crossing the floor to vote to proceed the debate. The legislation passed the state’s Upper …

A bereaved man’s years-long battle against the Tasmanian government after he was denied next-of-kin rights has been heard in the Supreme Court in Hobart. In 2015, the state’s Coroner failed to recognise Ben Jago as the next of kin of his deceased partner, Nathan Lunson, despite acknowledging they shared a “significant relationship” and same-sex relationships …

Landmark law reforms benefiting Tasmania’s transgender community have passed the state’s Upper House and are set to become law within days, advocates say. The state’s Upper House finalised amendments to the landmark gender reforms on Thursday evening following a marathon three day debate. The legislation will remove the requirement for surgery before gender on birth …

A group named the Tasmanian Coalition for Kids fighting the progression of legislation to benefit Tasmania’s transgender and gender diverse community has been accused of fearmongering ahead of this week’s Upper House debate on the laws. The Tasmanian Coalition for Kids is made up of the Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart, the Catholic Women’s League, members …

A gay man is crowdfunding to take the Tasmanian Government to court over discrimination he experienced after the death of his partner. Ben Jago’s partner of five years, Nathan Lunson, died by suicide in January 2015, and at the time Jago was told by Tasmania Police and the coroner’s office that he would not be …

A gay Tasmanian man has written to three federal political leaders ahead of the federal election to call for changes to Australia’s blood donation policy, which effectively bans gay men from giving blood. Currently, Australian gay or bisexual men can only donate blood if they have not had male-to-male sex – including with a condom …

LGBTIQ advocates including new lobby group Equality Australia have welcomed the Victorian government’s pledge to tackle harmful “gay conversion therapy” in the state. Speaking at the Midsumma Pride March on Sunday, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the practices were “bigoted quackery” and consultation would begin on legislation to prohibit the discredited and harmful practices. The …

Federal Assistant Treasurer Stuart Robert has said the federal government should intervene to stop state governments from making sex markers optional on birth certificates, but transgender advocates say the MP has misunderstood the legislation. Last month, Tasmania’s lower house passed legislation that would make the displaying of sex markers on birth certificates optional. The data …

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been urged to meet meet transgender, gender diverse and intersex Tasmanians and their families after describing transgender law reform as “ridiculous”. On Tuesday night, nine historic changes aiming to remove discrimination against transgender and intersex people in the state’s Births, Deaths and Marriage Act passed the state’s Lower House, including …